PSALM 45:3-5

Let us step again this week into the Psalm, which describes the eternal picture of the Church, His Bride, and our relationship with Christ the Bridegroom.  It is called an instruction on the ‘Song of Loves’.  We began last week in verses 1-8 on ‘The Royal Bridegroom Described’.  This week we want to look at verses 3-5, which says, “Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies’ whereby the people fall under thee.”

            It is here we are shown ‘Thy Glorious Girding’.  The Bride sees Christ to be more than a lover or husband.  In verse 3 we see ‘The Glorious Girding Of A Soldier’.  Our wonderful soldier has unveiled His sword.  The girded sword on the thigh has many implications.  The Middle Eastern Prince would gird his sword upon his thigh and go to the Temple before being crowned the King.  In the Song of Solomon they gird the sword on their thigh prior to the consummation of marriage. (Song of Solomon 3:8)  This sword also speaks of the Sword of the Spirit that is the Word of God. (Ephesians, Chapter 6)  When our Lord wields the sword of His own Word it divides asunder the soul and spirit and becomes a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  The Bible refers to Him in verse 3 as the “…most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.”  These are all terms of exaltation.  “The Bride weeps when she sees Him in garments of humiliation but rejoices to behold Him in the garments of exaltation. Our precious Christ can never be made too much of.” (Spurgeon)  Rest assured He will never be clothed again in garments of humiliation.

            In verse 4 we see ‘The Girding Of A Rider’ as He unveils ‘His Statues’.  I see that our Bridegroom always rides ‘prosperously’.  Our Lord never goes on a gospel voyage in vain.  He never falls short in His intent or purposes.  The Chariot of the great gospel rider is being pulled by three great steeds.  It is being pulled by truth.  We are told in other texts, ‘And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free’.  This Bridegroom desired liberty for His Bride.  It is being pulled by meekness.  We are told that the meek are a blessed people because they will inherit all He has on day.  The Bride will be a joint-heir with the Bridegroom.  This Chariot of the gospel is being pulled by righteousness.  Christ is the embodiment of righteousness.  If we were righteous then are we just like our Lord?  The right hand of this rider is brought up as being the teacher of ‘terrible things’.  I do long for this hand to ever be upon me and never against me.  There is nothing any more enticing for the love of a bride than a soldier arrayed in his dress uniform with a shining saber at his side and riding high in the saddle of a great steed.  It surely will take the breathe of the one who is engaged to be married to such a Bridegroom.  We are told that our Bridegroom will come one day with a flaming sword in His mouth to destroy His and our enemies.

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